Shenmue Santa

It's that time of the year again. It's December. Snow is falling (at least in my parts). And, after a good day of running around and searching for gifts, it's time to sit back by the fire and soak up the holiday spirit, Sega-style.

Of course, there's the obvious Christmas Nights, which should be peaking in price on ebay right now, but let's take a look at a different game - a game where a young man embarks on a journey to find out who really killed his father by talking to kittens, collecting toys... and finding sailors.

That's right, it's Shenmue and it's got a little holiday cheer. For whatever reason, the game always reminds me a bit of this time of year. Maybe it was the November 11th release date. Or maybe it's the late November to early January timeframe.

Most likely, it's this guy:With a Japanese Santa walking down the street reminding people to make a purchase at the local shops while Christmas music floats through a snow-covered Debouita, nothing says, "'Tis the season," quite like it.